One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is visiting schools across Newcastle-under-Lyme. Every visit reminds me of the incredible potential in every classroom. Each child I meet represents the future, carrying hopes and dreams that reflect the very best of our community.
We owe it to the next generation to make a simple but powerful promise: that we will equip them with the tools they need to thrive. Our responsibility is not just to help them achieve their full potential but also to ensure they have every opportunity to succeed.
When it comes to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), however, we fall far short of that promise. Every day, parents contact me with heart-breaking stories of their children—who hold the keys to the future—being cruelly robbed of their chance to thrive by a system that fails them. A system that is unresponsive, inflexible, and incapable of fulfilling its most basic purpose: providing the best quality education for every child.
It’s not just parents who are frustrated. School leaders frequently tell me that, while they are deeply committed to supporting every child, they know they are not equipped to meet the needs of children with SEND as they would like. They raise these concerns, highlighting the lack of resources, training, and capacity to deliver the tailored support children deserve. For too long, these warnings have gone unheard, leaving too many children in an environment that doesn’t support their learning or development.
We must ensure that schools are empowered to provide inclusive education by giving them the resources and expertise they need.
Recent announcements of a £740 million investment to expand and adapt mainstream schools are a welcome step forward. This funding will make classrooms more accessible for children with SEND and establish new specialised facilities to provide tailored, intensive support. It is part of a broader £6.7 billion investment in education for the next financial year, aimed at reducing barriers and giving every child the opportunity to succeed. I hope this financial boost will allow more pupils with SEND to flourish in mainstream settings where they can achieve their full potential.
Equally encouraging is the government’s decision to review the curriculum and assessment framework. By rethinking how we design these foundational elements, there is a genuine opportunity to ensure that education is ambitious, flexible, and inclusive for all children, including those with SEND.
These developments align with broader plans to make mainstream schools more inclusive, from improving teacher training to addressing barriers in the curriculum and ensuring that schools are equipped with the resources they need.
SEND reform is a priority for me, and while I know meaningful change can’t come soon enough for all our children, what matters now is keeping up the momentum, and ensuring that the failures of the system are recognised in their entirety. We must continue to amplify the voices of parents, teachers, and pupils to shape reforms that work in practice, not just on paper.
For those navigating the SEND system—whether as parents, carers, teachers, or pupils—your experiences matter. If you’ve struggled to get the support you need or have seen first hand what’s working and what isn’t, I urge you to share your insights with your local MP. Your stories are critical in building the case for better SEND services and ensuring that reforms truly address the challenges on the ground.
The challenges ahead are significant, but they are not insurmountable. Together, we can build a system that reflects the potential and promise in every classroom—a system that ensures every child, no matter their needs, has the chance to thrive.
